May this New Year be filled
with Beatitude Blessings! Welcome to Stories Seldom Heard.
I would especially like to welcome those who attended the retreat at
St. Hilary Parish, Tiburon, CA.

One of the ways of
reflecting on a passage of scripture is to refer to other passages
that have a similar theme. A handy book, the Concordance to the
Bible, helps us find, in a variety of places, where a specific
word or passage in the Bible is used. Since most of us hesitate
when someone asks us where a particular passage can be found in the
bible, this useful and uncomplicated book can be of great service
(1). With this as a background, I looked up the word “see” in the
Concordance. Not surprisingly, there were more than three
columns of references. In fact, one of the references to
“see/seeing” comes close on the heels of Matthew’s beatitudes. “You
are the light of the world…In the same way your light must shine in
the sight of all so that seeing your good work, they may give praise
to God” (Mt 5:14-16).

Sight is important whether
we are talking about eyesight and clear vision or discussing insight
and inner wisdom. Both physical and spiritual blindness are
described in the gospels. In each case there is a particular focus.
One previously blind man, since his vision is not totally clear at
first, says, “I see men like trees walking” (Mk. 8:24). It is only
later that he comes to a fuller vision. Other people are healed
immediately and follow Jesus on the road (Mk 10:50). This
beatitude, "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God”
plays with both these understandings. Some just receive their
sight. Those who are pure of heart gain not only their vision and
insight, but also a blessing: they shall see God.

The blessing, however, of
seeing God, is not just for a future time. Sight comes now
to those who strive to be pure of heart. They recognize what is
important and strive to live their lives with integrity. In other
words, they desire to be single hearted. In everything they do,
they will one thing: to live in right relationship with self,
others, creation and God. Persons who are pure of heart strive to
be transparent so that their motives match their actions. They know
why they do what they do.

A couple of days ago,
December 29th, was the feast of St. Thomas Becket
(Archbishop and Martyr 1118-1170). As you might remember, Thomas
was born in England of a wealthy family. He became very good
friends with King Henry II. As a sign of their friendship Henry
named Thomas his chancellor: the second most powerful position in
England. Later the King insisted on Thomas becoming the Archbishop
of Canterbury. In that position Thomas not only grew ever more
independent from the King, but also challenged the King’s ultimate
authority when it came to church matters. As a result, the King
exiled Thomas. Later after Thomas had returned to England, while
Thomas was preparing for evening prayer in the cathedral, the king’s
knights killed Thomas with their swords and scattered his brains on
the stone floor. The timing of his death might have been a surprise
to Thomas, but he clearly knew this was to be his fate. No one
opposes a powerful, lawless person or government without reprisal.
Thomas had suffered much at the hands of Henry, but Thomas also knew
he would/could not change his course. In T.S. Eliot’s well-known
play, Murder in the Cathedral, Thomas anticipating his death
says, “The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right
deed for the wrong reason.”

Thomas follows this comment
with a brief reflection on his life. He recalls the time when he
was a layman and the King’s best friend. “Thirty years ago, I
searched all the ways that led to pleasure, advancement and
praise.” As Thomas lists his worldly desires, military successes,
earthly accomplishments and the power he enjoyed, he also reflects
on how ambition enters our lives almost unnoticed. “Ambition comes
when early force is spent and when we find no longer all things
possible. Ambition comes behind and unobservable. Sin grows with
doing good.” Then Thomas focuses on his present life as the
Archbishop. “Servant of God has chance of greater sin and sorrow,
than the man who serves the king. For those who serve the greater
cause may make the cause serve them, still doing right: and striving
with political men may make the cause political, not by what they do
but by what they are.”

Thomas’ words are a warning
to us especially in our modern-day society. They remind us of the
cost of integrity: one whose motives and actions are bound together
with justice and love. His words, also, remind us of the deep joy
that comes with believing in and following our good intentions to
their conclusions. Each of us is called to actively resist evil
wherever we encounter it. Whether we are in weighty positions of
authority, offering corporal works of mercy in our local
neighborhoods, actively lobbying for justice in the political arena
or publicly challenging the lies we hear in the media, the cost will
be felt. Some people will question our motives, accuse us of being
naïve or even threaten us with physical harm or loss of employment.

We, however, who listen to
the Word of God, pray for guidance and purity of intention, also
have a deep conviction that God is refining our hearts and
sharpening our eyes as we strive to discern what is just according
to our circumstances. When we act on behalf of the common good, it
is not for the glory or praise of others, but because we see all
life as valuable. We serve at homeless or low-income senior centers
even though it means another night out. We purchase special foods
and prepare them carefully because we know those women, men and
children are truly part of our family. Hundreds of people have
arrived at the border crossings to be of service to the refugees
crossing into the United States. Our physical, financial and
spiritual presence at the border is not only our religious
obligation, but our civic duty to protect the most vulnerable (2).
We visit prisoners and pursue affordable healthcare for all. We
support and make friends with people in nations who are distressed.
We conscientiously buy locally and continue to lessen and recycle
our debris. We pray daily so our hearts will not become indifferent
to the suffering of those we meet on the streets of our cities
because we know that true prayer leads us in the way of compassion.

In short, we know that
singing “Glory to God in the highest” is a commitment to not only
serve as Eucharistic ministers, lectors and those in our parish
communities, but also to serve the most vulnerable in our society.

“Blessed are the pure of
heart” has been called the mystic’s beatitude. Mystics are not a
rare breed. They are us as we strive for clearer vision and
guidance so that “Love and faithfulness will meet each other;
justice and peace will kiss” (Ps. 85:10). Jesus said, “Happy are
your eyes because they see…(Mt. 13:16), but this seeing takes a
movement of the Spirit. Annie Dillard says it this way: “At a
certain point you say to the woods, to the sea, to the mountains,
the world, now I am ready. Now I will stop and be wholly
attentive. You open yourself and wait, listening….” I wonder what
we might see if we made time and space to ponder the mysteries of
all creation: the galaxies, universes, and our individual lives.
Would this vision open our hearts too?

1.With your
Christmas money you might want to buy a Concordance to the
Bible as an Epiphany present for yourself. One way to read the
Bible and meditate on the verses is to choose a word, such as “see”
and reflect on how it is used in the many diverse passages in
scripture.

2.After reading
about the tragedy at the border a friend collected $415 to send to
Annunciation House, 1003 E San Antonio, El Paso, Texas, 79901.

Special thanks to Mary
Ellen Green and Maria Hetherton who have helped in editing this
article. "Stories Seldom Heard" is a monthly article written
by Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P. Sister is a Dominican Sister of San
Rafael, California. This service is offered to the Christian
community to enrich one's personal and spiritual life. The articles
can be used for individual or group reflection.

If you would like to
support this ministry, please send your contributions to: Dominican
Sisters of San Rafael, c/o Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P., 2517 Pine
Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 Thank you.